News & Notes
News & Notes
Drinkard Earns National Player of the Year Award
Compiled by CHRIS LANG
APPOMATTOX ’ S JILLIAN DRINKARD , a VSGA eClub member , capped a sensational season at Methodist University by leading the Monarchs to the Division III title , the school ’ s 26th in the sport . Drinkard also earned a huge individual honor as she was named the Women ’ s Golf Coaches Association Division III player of the year .
Drinkard finished her junior season with the lowest adjusted scoring average ( 73.83 ) in Golfstat . com ’ s D-III individual rankings .
She finished tied for third at the 2021 NCAA Division III championship , posting three straight 76s after opening with a 79 to tie with teammate Ingrid Steingrimsen .
Drinkard won individual medalist honors in five events this past season , a run that included a program-record tying 66 in the Montgomery ( Ala .) CC Intercollegiate in April .
“ I want to thank my teammates and coaches because this has been an amazing season and I couldn ’ t have gotten where I am without them ,” Drinkard said in accepting the award .
On the men ’ s side , sophomore Robb Kinder , a VSGA member at Williamsburg Golf Club , capped a historic season of his own , finishing for second individually at the Division III championship while leading Christopher Newport to its highest ever finish in the event ( 8th place ). Kinder opened with a 77 before settling in for three strong rounds of 71 , 70 , and 69 to finish two strokes behind champion Will Hocker of Webster .
In Division I , two Virginia teams advanced to NCAA Championships : The Virginia Tech women and the Liberty University men .
The Hokies ’ women ’ s program , which played its first season in 2015-16 , advanced to nationals for the first time and featured a full lineup of VSGA members . Becca DiNunzio ( Virginia Beach National GC ) shot a final-round 72 to help the Hokies tie Maryland for 21st . Emily Mahar , Alyssa Montgomery , Jessica Spicer , Keerattriya Foochareon — all members at Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech — filled out the roster for Tech . ( Mahar qualified for and played in the U . S . Women ’ s Open in June .)
Led by Kieran Vincent ( Poplar Grove GC ), the LU men took 21st in their championship . He capped his tournament with a final-round 66 . Isaac Simmons , another Poplar Grove member , also played for the Flames on the final day .
GEOFF HENSON
IN MEMORIAM : ARTHUR HILLS Renowned golf course architect Arthur Hills died on May 18 at the age of 91 . His prolific , award-winning golf course design career started in 1967 in Toledo , Ohio , and grew to include more than 200 courses and 150 renovations across 32 U . S . states and 25 foreign countries .
Hills designed two courses in Virginia — Colonial Heritage Club in Williamsburg and Heritage Hunt G & CC in Gainesville . He also was involved in redesigns at Belle Haven Country Club in Alexandria , the Country Club of Fairfax , and Hermitage Country Club ’ s Sabot Course .
Hills served as president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects in 1992 and 1993 and was an inductee into the state golf halls of fame in both Ohio and Michigan . Included among his designs were Oakland Hills Country Club in Michigan , host of the 2004 Ryder Cup .
Hills was an environmental pioneer with the design of the first Audubon Signature Sanctuary courses in the U . S ., Mexico , and Europe . He was universally revered throughout his career for his ability to route his golf courses naturally onto existing terrain .
vsga . org J ULY / A UGUST 2021 | V IRGINIA G OLFER 7